Family Health

Easy Veggie Snacks for Picky Eaters

June 20, 2013

Snacks can be a simple way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your family’s daily diet, and keeping these fresh snacks stocked in your kitchen makes it easier to choose healthier options. Here are two great recipes with veggies that are easy to make and will have your kids asking for seconds.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, mix the edamame, olive oil and salt together and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until crispy, stirring the mixture occasionally.

Spice it up! -Use garbanzo beans instead of edamame. -Instead of salt, try a combination of other spices, such as garlic powder and ground cumin.

Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

Serve the dip with carrots and cucumbers or any vegetable your kid likes. You’ll be surprised how much more your kids enjoy their veggies when they have something tasty to dip them into.

By Mary Saph Tanaka

Mary Saph Tanaka, MD, MS, developed her love for cooking at a young age, with fond memories of planting and cooking vegetables from the garden with her mother. She regularly utilizes locally grown ingredients and her knowledge of nutrition and herbs to prepare nutritious meals for family and friends. She is completing her pediatrics training at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital as part of the Community Health and Advocacy Training program. She developed the recipes for the recently released book “’Eat Your Vegetables’ and Other Mistakes Parents Make: Redefining How to Raise Healthy Eaters” written by Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD (Healthy Learning, 2012).

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